Contact: Tara Martinak (541) 573-4400
Release No. OR-BU-12-11
May 11, 2012
FEDERAL AGENCIES PLAN FOR LATE-MAY PRESCRIBED FIRES NORTH OF BURNS
HINES, Ore. – Fire crews from the Burns Interagency Fire Zone (BIFZ) expect to carry out at
least two prescribed fires within Harney County this month. Officials say, if weather permits,
they will start the projects the week of May 13.
The Burns Interagency Fire Zone does a number of prescribed fire projects annually to reduce
fuel loading and the risk of catastrophic large wildfires, increase forage for livestock and wildlife,
and improve wildlife habitat.
Prescribed fire projects slated for late-May include 400 acres in the Rattlesnake Creek area, and
1,500 acres spread across two units in the Badger area, located near Rainbow Flat and Hay Creek
off of U.S. Forest Service Road 37.
Fire Management Officer Ken Higle said, “These projects are important in our efforts to develop
more fire resilient and healthier ecosystems. In the long term, completing these projects will
allow for lower intensity fires that are more in tune with the historic natural occurrence of fire in
this area.”
Burning will occur as weather and fuel moisture conditions allow. There will be noticeable
smoke and increased traffic around prescribed fire areas. The public should be aware of the
activity and avoid the work sites as much as possible.
For further information on prescribed burning in Harney County, contact Prescribed Fire
Managers Chad Rott at (541) 573-4315, or Sean Rothwell at (541) 573-4535.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land – the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National
System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres
of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed
land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also
one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands
managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and
productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by
managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving
natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
-BLM-